In the field of wireless communication systems, resource allocation and resource sharing represent important issues. This is particularly due to the fact that a band (i.e. frequency spectrum), on which resources are available for a specific communication or system, and thus the resources are limited. Therefore, available resources are to be commonly used by a plurality of communicating devices. Such common usage of resources may manifest in the common usage of logical channels or radio bearers between communicating devices.
As a first aspect in this regard, an amount of resources may be allocated or assigned (scheduled) for a number of communicating devices for their common use. In a cellular communication environment, this may be typically effected by an access node or base station for (groups of) terminals and other communicating devices in its coverage area, respectively.
As a second aspect in this regard, a sharing balance of resources may be allocated or assigned (scheduled) for communicating devices for defining their respective relation of the commonly allocated resources for their individual use. In a cellular communication environment, this may be effected by an access node or base station for (groups of) terminals and other communicating devices in its coverage area, respectively. Otherwise, in a network-controlled device-to-device (D2D) communication, wherein devices such as user equipments (UE) or terminals directly communicate with each other without involving a network entity such as an access node or base station or of a cellular communication network, this may also be effected in a coordinated manner between the communicating devices participating in a D2D communication.
However, in the field of wireless communication systems, it is a problem to provide for an appropriate and fair resource allocation control (e.g. for shared logical channels), particularly in terms of individual quality-of-service (QoS) configurations. Namely, it is problematic to ensure a resource allocation to communicating devices, including at least one of a resource allocation amount and a resource sharing balance, so as to comply with QoS settings and/or requirements of all logical channels involved in a certain communication.
Such problem is specifically relevant when the resource allocation amount is controlled by the network while the resource sharing balance is controlled by the communicating devices themselves.
In such case, it may for example hardly be prevented that a communicating device acts in a selfish manner compared to other communicating device, with which resources are shared. In other words, it may be problematic that, when the network configures QoS settings for logical channels to be commonly used by communicating devices (e.g. in a D2D or an uplink communication), the achievable and actually achieved bit rates of the logical channels cannot be properly controlled according to the configured QoS settings.
Further, in such case, an appropriate coordination of resource allocation and sharing may for example hardly be accomplished. In other words, it may be problematic how to exchange reliable parameters suitable for an appropriate and fair resource allocation and sharing between communicating devices. For example, when using buffer status as a parameter for balancing resource allocation between communicating devices, as conventionally proposed, this parameter may not reveal how used resource sharing of allocated radio resources corresponds to configured QoS settings for devices in a common D2D or uplink communication.
In view thereof, there is a problem in how to appropriately take into account specific characteristics relevant for resource allocation control (such as QoS settings of commonly used logical channels) in resource allocation control (e.g. for shared logical channels).
Thus, there is a need to further improve resource allocation control.